Erol Bulut's Cardiff City squad

[The Lone Gunman]

For me, one of the stranger elements of the Erol Bulut debate is the claim by some of his most fervent supporters that he has been working on a small budget with a squad of players he's effectively inherited. The suggestion seems to be that the manager can't be held responsible for the performances of a squad he didn't put together.

In fact, the club has made no less than fourteen signings since Bulut took over, while four more players have been given new contracts. Indeed, the starting eleven for the woeful defeat at Swansea a few weeks ago included nine Bulut signings and two players he's rewarded with extended contracts.

Bulut was appointed as Cardiff City manager on 03/06/2023. These are the signings the club has made since then, along with Bulut's comments about each player when they arrived:

04/07/2023 - Ike Ugbo (Troyes, season-long loan)

"Iké has shown what he can do over the last three years. When he was in Belgium he scored a lot of goals, and he did some very good things with Troyes as well. In 1v1 situations, he is really good in the box. His heading and finishing is also good. These are things that we need, because we know that last season the team did not score enough goals. We have signed him early, so he will have a pre-season with us. I think having a pre-season will bring a lot of positive things for him."

05/07/2023 - Dimitrios Goutas (Sivasspor, two-year contract)

“Dimitri has a lot of experience. He has played for Olympiacos and the Greek national team, and he had two good seasons in Turkey with Sivasspor. He can organise from the back and he is a good size for the Championship. He also has good speed, so I think he will be a very useful player for our style. He is one of those people who is really dangerous in the air and can score goals from set pieces, which will be very good for us.”

07/07/2023 - Yakou Meite (Reading, two-year contract)

"This is a great signing for us. He will help us a lot with his power and speed. We are really very satisfied that he’s signed for us. He has played the last five or six years in the Championship, so he knows the league very well. He knows how to score goals, which is very important for us. It will take a little bit of time, but it’s good that he’s come here with one month to go until the league begins. We will get him ready for then."

15/07/2023 - Karlan Grant (West Brom, season-long loan)

"Karlan will bring goals, speed and work rate to this team. He works hard on the pitch, not just offensively but in defence as well. Now we have a few players like Karlan who can play in different positions. He can play as a winger, but we can also use him as a striker and a second striker. I am very excited and happy that we have these attacking players. All of them are good goalscorers and playmakers who can make assists. They can win games and change the table by getting results for us."

15/07/2023 - Aaron Ramsey (Nice, two-year contract)

“Aaron has had a great career in the Premier League, then Italy and France, and now back home in Cardiff. I hope his last years with us will be great too, and I hope we can make our dreams come true.”

01/08/2023 - Josh Bowler (Nottingham Forest, season-long loan)

“Two years ago, Josh was one of the best wingers in the Championship. We’re excited he’s here. He’s a good worker, with a great left-foot, who will bring goals and assists to our side. We now have a variety of possibilities across our front line. They will all bring something different and offer us more creativity this season.”

18/08/2023 - Runar Runarsson (Arsenal, season-long loan)

“I know Alex from Alanyaspor, when he was on loan there. We could see on the field that when he had the ball, he was really good with his feet, he can play out with the ball and that’s what I want. He is also really quick, has good reactions and is good under crosses. I think he will help us a lot. Whoever gives the best performance for us out of our three goalkeepers will stay in goal and will be starting. Mario Galinović knows him from Turkey and he likes him as well. We tried to find the best that was available to us and I think we’ve done that.”

18/08/2023 - Manolis Siopis (Trabzonspor, three-year contract)

“Normally, a player like Manolis, when you try to take him, you can’t take him. It’s really difficult to get a player like this. I brought him to Alanyaspor and he took a really big step to Trabzonspor. When we saw that he became available, we contacted him and we have a really good relationship. He’s a fighter who will work hard for the team. The fans will like him and in the last few years, he has increased his technical skills with the ball.”

01/09/2023 - Jonathan Panzo (Nottingham Forest, season-long loan)

"I'm pleased that Jonathan has agreed to join. He's going to bring extra stability to our defence. He had a very good season with Coventry City last year and already has great experience of this league. He's a left-sided centre-back, which gives us something we needed. It's a very good signing for us."

30/01/2024 - Nat Phillips (Liverpool, half-season loan)

“Everybody knows Nat from his time in the Championship with Bournemouth, and also with Liverpool. He brings a lot of experience with him. He will help us a lot in the defensive shape, and also in our attacking shape to have better build-up from the back. He is good on the ball and is a big addition to our squad.”

31/01/2024 - Famara Diedhiou (Granada, half-season loan)

“Famara is a good striker and the good thing is he knows the league. He played for Bristol City for four years and scored more than 50 goals there in all competitions. The players around him are also important, but I know him from Turkey when he was with Alanyaspor. He wants to show himself again and I hope he can do that with Cardiff City until the end of the season.”

01/02/2024 - Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest, three and a half-year contract)

“He is an international player with USA and got promoted from the Championship with Luton Town and Nottingham Forest. He knows the league and that is important for a goalkeeper. Right now, with Jak Alnwick and Horvath, we have two great goalkeepers. It’s important, you can not only have loan players. You have to sign permanent players. I think the next few years, the goal is safe here at Cardiff City.”

01/02/2024 - David Turnbull (Celtic, three and a half-year contract)

"I see a lot of quality. He is a good age, he played the last three seasons with Celtic, scored and assisted many goals. This is what we need in our midfield. He is creative in the offensive shape and he can finalise attacks. We now have good options and not the same styles. We have defensive midfielders and also have more creativity. In the second half, when we want to change, we can now change a few players and have the same level.”

01/02/2024 - Josh Wilson-Esbrand (Manchester City, season-long loan)

"As a full-back, a wing-back and a winger, he can add a lot of things. He gives us flexibility, that's important. I spoke to him about what kind of style we play and where I see him as a player, not only as a left-back, but also as a winger. For Reims, I was watching, he was also playing as a number eight, he did quite well in that position. It's good that he is flexible."

Meanwhile, these are the four players Bulut has awarded new contracts to:

Perry Ng – given a two-year contract extension on 24/08/2023 (expires summer 2026)

Ryan Wintle – given a two-year contract extension on 04/08/2023 (expires summer 2026)

Ollie Tanner – given a three-year contract extension on 05/10/2023 (expires summer 2027)

Joe Ralls – given a one -year contract extension on 11/03/2024 (expires summer 2025)

[2b2bdoo]

I think it goes without saying he had his hand tied behind his back with the embargo in the summer and then having the budget for January slashed after a lot of work had gone into scouting players (apparently). I don’t think he has who he expected in January and I refuse to believe Tan spent 2m on Turnbull in January when he’s out of contract in the summer.

No matter who signed who and or who he wanted those are the players he has, it’s for him and his team to get the most out of them. Has he done that? I don’t think so. As others have said how many players have improved? Can make a case for Colwill maybe but no others have improved.

The negative tactics, lack of ability to change how we set up and his refusal to introduce any of the youngsters in recent weeks is more than frustrating. His substitutions are generally very erratic. I’m not sure he knows how to set up any other way and we are far too easy to play against.

[The Lone Gunman]

I think it goes without saying he had his hand tied behind his back with the embargo in the summer.

Despite not being able to spend money on actual transfer fees, I’m pretty confident Bulut had a bigger overall playing budget than most other City managers in recent times and also a bigger budget than plenty of other Championship managers last summer.

As for January, I guess we’ll never know exactly what happened there, but the Kieffer Moore nonsense ended up exactly as I and many others always believed it would, and I thought Bulut was very unprofessional while talking about that particular situation.

[2b2bdoo]

Despite not being able to spend money on actual transfer fees, I’m pretty confident Bulut had a bigger overall playing budget than most other City managers in recent times and also a bigger budget than plenty of other Championship managers last summer.

As for January, I guess we’ll never know exactly what happened there, but the Kieffer Moore nonsense ended up exactly as I and many others always believed it would, and I thought Bulut was very unprofessional while talking about that particular situation.

No idea on budget over the summer, I think we added well all considered, or at least better than I expected. I would guess we paid more in wages because we couldn’t pay any kind of fee or loan fee which reduced our options massively.

January for me wasn’t a good window. Irrespective of if Bulut wanted them it was told he was getting them his job is still to get the best out of what we had.

[The Prophet of Doom]

Thanks TLG - an interesting synopsis of the transfer position under Bulut's leadership. Most have failed to live up to his expectation and some have just failed. Not too many stand outs it has to be said.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Despite not being able to spend money on actual transfer fees, I’m pretty confident Bulut had a bigger overall playing budget than most other City managers in recent times and also a bigger budget than plenty of other Championship managers last summer.

As for January, I guess we’ll never know exactly what happened there, but the Kieffer Moore nonsense ended up exactly as I and many others always believed it would, and I thought Bulut was very unprofessional while talking about that particular situation.

And people criticise Steve Morison's signings, which I'm willing to guess were a fraction of what Bulut's have cost in terms of wages. And Ugbo ? Forgot it was a season long loan - he was considerably better than that lazy sod we had up front in the second half..

[Tuerto]

Ollie Tanner got a three year deal because of the Swansea game (unless i'm wrong) if there was ever evidence enough that plenty of people who work in Professional football are shit at what they do then this is it. Tanner is non league level.

[Father Dougal]

Ollie Tanner got a three year deal because of the Swansea game (unless i'm wrong) if there was ever evidence enough that plenty of people who work in Professional football are shit at what they do then this is it. Tanner is non league level.

If that. Couldn't get a game for York last season. He really hasn't proved he's even non league level yet.

[Tuerto]

If that. Couldn't get a game for York last season. He really hasn't proved he's even non league level yet.

That's a fair shout.

[Taffy Blue in Berkshire]

That's a fair shout.

watching on tv yesterday we looked like a pub side made up of p1$$heads who couldn't be &rsed.

[Tuerto]

watching on tv yesterday we looked like a pub side made up of p1$$heads who couldn't be &rsed.

If only.......

[BLUETIT]

watching on tv yesterday we looked like a pub side made up of p1$$heads who couldn't be &rsed.

That’s disrespectful to pub teams, they all care because they gotta face the inquest back at the pub !

Our lot, just go home, wages in the bank and give us the same shite next game. No inquiry

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

All managers and all clubs sanction and sign players that don't end up doing the business

I think the two Greek fellas are worth the money , turnbull is going to come good , Tanner is getting the bird when he's still a youngster and grant is quality when on form

[Father Dougal]

All managers and all clubs sanction and sign players that don't end up doing the business

I think the two Greek fellas are worth the money , turnbull is going to come good , Tanner is getting the bird when he's still a youngster and grant is quality when on form

And at end of day we are 11th and probably are going to finish top half. There's not a single poster who wouldn't have taken that at the end of last season.

However there's no big deal about changing managers these days. Sabri did a good job for us as did what we needed. Wasn't sorry to see him go either though.

I feel the same re bulut he's kind of done what we needed. He only had a 1 year contract anyway so move him on as signs are things will only get worse.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

And at end of day we are 11th and probably are going to finish top half. There's not a single poster who wouldn't have taken that at the end of last season.

However there's no big deal about changing managers these days. Sabri did a good job for us as did what we needed. Wasn't sorry to see him go either though.

I feel the same re bulut he's kind of done what we needed. He only had a 1 year contract anyway so move him on as signs are things will only get worse.

Well sadly this is the modern world with owners and fans wanting both points and performance in rapid time

I wouldn't argue if he was replaced but some of the suggestions are ridiculous

We need to be careful what we wish for

[Dembe]

People keep mentioning the embargo, like the majority of other clubs (ones not relegated or with parachute payments) were able to spend a lot!

how much did other clubs spend?

Bulut has brought in enough players to influence the team, 10 games isn't enough to judge and rightly so, but we've played 39 now and the majority of the season has been horrendous with then odd result thrown in. Get rid.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

People keep mentioning the embargo, like the majority of other clubs (ones not relegated or with parachute payments) were able to spend a lot!

how much did other clubs spend?

Bulut has brought in enough players to influence the team, 10 games isn't enough to judge and rightly so, but we've played 39 now and the majority of the season has been horrendous with then odd result thrown in. Get rid.

Well the fact we have 53 points suggests that it has been more than the odd good result

[KingOfSiamIAm]

If one were to look at Bulut's thoughts on the players that were signed since he has been here, then I would say that he has failed to utilise the strengths of most of those players, or has failed to "adapt" them into the shape that he wants to play.

If that is the case, it is pretty damming statement on his own Management.

I will pick out some of those players, and reflect on those quotes that you say Bulut made at the time of signing.

Ugbo:
If those were his thoughts, then Ugbo was not used in any way shape or form to utilise the strengths identified.

Grant:
Pretty much as said on the tin... except... where are the goals and assists?
I would assume that they are overlooked by a Manager who is more interested in getting the attacking players to run back. Not risk losing possession when attacking, IE, don't dare even thinking about attempting a defence splitting pass if there is any way we can keep possession. So stop this silly notion of forward momentum, turn around, pass it backwards and keep possession (well done).

Runnerson:
Wait... good with his feet? By the end of his first game, and any time thereafter, whenever Runnerson had the ball at his feet, I was turning around to my Grandson and was gleefully singing "dodgy keeper, dodgy keeper". If I could see this, why can't a Professional football Manager?

Ramsey:
Looking at his comments, I get the impression he wsan't keen on that signing. In retrospect, I can see that Bulut isn't keen on players that are creative. Of course any creativity can be coached out of them (see Grant, above). Ramsey, however, is a fan's favourite, so would Bulut risk attempting that? Hence the underwhelming comments when compared to some of the other journeymen that Bulut praised upon signing.

Talking of journeymen:
Those other two strikers... well what was the point?
Do you know what... I can't even remember their names. They are so ineffective, and I can't even be bothered to scroll back up to your opening comments to find out who they are... and as they are currently "playing" for the club, that is damming enough.

[Dembe]

Well the fact we have 53 points suggests that it has been more than the odd good result

It suggests we have amassed a good points total by way of playing turgid football, the type of thing you shouldn't be charged to watch.

When I said good results I wasn't referring to 1 nil wins over Millwall and Watford where everyone in the stadium was bored into silence.

[Dembe]

Brentford have lost 14 of the last 18, so they say on Sky Sports watching them play United.

You'd have no idea watching them because Thomas Frank has them playing exactly the same way he always does, he didn't shit his pants and go ultra defensive when things didn't work out early on.

A stronger manager will stick to his guns, Bulut folded at the first sign of pressure early in the season. Weak weak man.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

If that. Couldn't get a game for York last season. He really hasn't proved he's even non league level yet.

And yet I think Tanner should be playing every single game. As should Colwill. What’s the worst that could happen? We get absolutely stuffed and don’t have a shot on target? We are doing that now

[Pedro de la Rosa]

where are the goals and assists?

Ugbo has gone away and banged them in. Grant has scored 18 and 19 goals in Champ seasons before as a 9. Bulut has had strikers, he can’t use them. Méïté and Bowler scored more goals last season.

People seem to be saying Bulut has got no chance cos our strikers don’t score when he’s a massive factor in that.

[NYCBlue]

I'm not defending Bulut's season, style or tactics. but does it really matter what he said about the players when they were signed? Some of them could have been pretty far down on his wish list. We don't know. He still has to say positive things about them.

[The Lone Gunman]

I'm not defending Bulut's season, style or tactics. but does it really matter what he said about the players when they were signed? Some of them could have been pretty far down on his wish list. We don't know. He still has to say positive things about them.

I think some of the comments are quite revealing. But none of it really matters. It’s only football. And it goes on and on and on.

[TWGL1]

I think some of the comments are quite revealing. But none of it really matters. It’s only football. And it goes on and on and on.

Honestly, how many other managers would have said the same thing the players who have been signed?

They are not going to make the assumption that they are garbage are they

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